Toy bowling-game



No. 6l4,998. Patented Nov. 29, I898. J. E. STRIETELMEIER.

TOY BOWLING GAME.

(Application filed Sept. 29, 1897.)

(No Model.)

mu. IIIHIL 6 l0 NITED STATES JOHN ERNST STRIETELMEIER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

TOY BOWLlNG GAM E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,998, dated November 29, 1898.

Application filed $eptember 29, 1897. Serial No. 653,435. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ERNST STRIET- ELMEIER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Bowling-Games, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a device for playing in the parlor an imitation of the game of tenpins.

The invention will be first fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and then particularly referred to and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, in which like parts are illdica-ted by similar reference-letters wherever they occur throughout the Various views, Figure 1 is a plan view of the device. Fig. 2 is a vertical diametrioal sectional view taken upon the plane of the index-hand or indicator of Fig. 1.

Referring to the parts by reference-letters, A is the bottom or case, which may be provided with any suitable cover, (not shown,) upon the bottom of which is centrally secured a hub (4, upon which is pivoted an index or indicator B. Surrounding this hub are a series of concentric rings divided into segments by radial strips 0. In the present instance there are ten concentric circles, as the example shown is to play the American game of tenpins. The radial strips are numbered opposite the segments from 1 to 10, inclusive, the numbers indicating the number of pins up. Each segment from the central to the dividing strip has upon it numbers, preferably arranged,as shown,in irregular order, indicating the number of pins, the inner segment being numbered with a naught or unit and the outer segments with ten numerals or a cipher in place of any numeral omitted. The alternate segments are preferably printed or painted in different colors, so as to be more conveniently read by the players. For clearness there is a blank circle left around the hub a, so that the inner seg= ments (indicated by the figure l are large enough to contain the numbers of the same size as the outer segments.

To play the game, it is assumed in the beginning that all pins are up. The player spins the indicator B, and the figure over which the point of the indicator stops indicates the number of pins knocked down. In the example, Fig. 1, the indicator has stopped on figure 8, which indicates that eight pins have been knocked down, and, necessarily, two pins are up. As each bowler is entitled to two balls, the indicator is again spun around. Should the long arm of the indicator stop over figure 2 of segment 2, the player would be entitled to a spare; but, as shown in dotted line, the indicator has stopped over or in proximity to figure l of segment 2, which indicates that the player is entitled to nine in the first frame. The ciphers in each segment indicate that the player has knocked down no pins. As this rarely happens when all the pins are set up, there are but two ciphers in the outer ring. The indicator stopping over either of these ciphers indicates that the player has bowled oi the alley and that ten pins are still up. In the inner segments the chances of missing the pins up increase toward the inner segments, in which the chances are about even of hitting or missing the pins remaining after the first spin.

While I have indicated in the drawings the American game of tenpins, it is obvious that any of the well-known games played upon bowling-alleys may be played on my device. It is also obvious that while the division of the circles into segments is convenient yet these radial divisions may be omitted and the rings numbered either regularly or irregularly, as shown; but I have shown my invention in the best and most practical form and shall consider all mere mechanical variations of it as within the spirit and scope of my in= Vention.

What I claim is- 1. A toy bowling-game device having in combination a base or board divided into con centric rings around the central hub, said rings divided into segments, the segments having numbers increasing from the inner to the outer segments, indicating the number of pins up at the beginning and end of each frame, an indicator pivoted upon the hub, and extending to the outer segments, to indicate the number of pins left standing when the indicator stops after having a spinning IOO motion imparted to it, substantially as set forth.

2. A toy bowling-game device having in combination a base or board divided into concentric rings around the central hub, radial bands dividing said rings into segments, said bands being numbered from the center outwardly to indicate the number of the several segments, each segment being marked to indicate the number of pins up before and after each spin of an indicator, the indicator pivoted upon the central hub, and extending to the outer segments to indicate the number of pins left standing after each play made by spinning it, substantially as shown and described.

A toy bowling-game device having in combination a base or board divided in to concentric rings around the central hub, said rings divided into segments, the segments being each colored differently from the adjacent segments, and having numbers increasing from the inner to the outer segments indicating the number of pins up at the beginning and end of each frame, an indicator pivoted upon the hub, and extending to the outer segments to indicate the number of pins left standing when the indicator stops, after having a spinning motion imparted to it, substantially as set forth.

4. A toy bowling-game device having in combination a base or board divided into concentric rings around the central hub, radial bands dividing said rings into segments, said bands being numbered from the center outwardly to indicate the number of the several segments, said segments being each colored differently from its adjacent segments, excepting the segments of the radial bands, which are uniformly colored, and being each marked to indicate the number of pins up before and after each spin of an indicator, the indicator pivoted upon the central hub, and extending to the outer segments, to indicate the number of pins, left standing after each play made by spinning it, substantially as shown and described.

JOHN ERNST STRIE' ELMEIER.

\Vitnesses:

GEO. J. MURRAY, EMMA Lvronn. 

